February Hire Results for Job Seekers

Making the Most of a Job Fair

You are dressed in your interviewing best, have lots of resumes on hand, and left your shy side at home – are you ready to blow away the job fair? Almost. Read on for tips on how to make the most of your job fair experience.

Job Fair = Networking

A job fair is essentially an opportunity to network with employers and other job seekers. You need to be prepared to share information about your background, skills, and career goals in a clear, concise manner. You also need to have your networking tools ready which includes business cards, resumes, and an “elevator” pitch.

Research and Prepare

Before attending a job fair, do some research. Find out which employers will be there and take a look at their websites. If possible, find out what type of openings they have. While at the job fair, you want to put your best foot forward by showing you know something about the companies you visit.

Make a plan

Most job fairs have hundreds of participants so it is important to plan your time. It is not wise to just show up and start at one end of the fair. If you have done your homework, you should know the places you most want to work and the type of work you are seeking. By putting this information together, you can target the companies that best suit you and your job interests.

Elevator pitch

While you probably won’t be in an elevator, being one of ten people in line at a job fair booth is almost the same thing. The point is you only have a limited amount of time to make your pitch. The elevator pitch is a 30 second to two minute speech that outlines your background, your skills, and your career objective. Write one and practice it – a lot! Ask friends and family to listen as you perfect your pitch. You want it to come naturally and at first it will not feel that way. By practicing prior to the event, you will be able to put your best pitch forward when it matters most.

Resumes

It is important to have enough resumes with you on the day of the job fair. If you have different versions of your resume, bring enough copies of each type. How will you know if you have enough? Well, that is where your research will come into play. If you just show up and do not think about how many employers you want to visit with, you may run out of resumes when you get to the company you like most.

Business Cards

While networking in any situation, it may be convenient to have a simple business card. Some people you encounter at the job fair will not want or need your resume but would like a way to contact you. When a resume is not an option, a simple business card is a great tool to have. You can make your own or find a vendor like Vista Print which offers free business cards for the price of shipping (www.vistaprint.com).

Keep track

As you make your way through the job fair, keep careful track of who you have spoken to and why. Ask for business cards and collect any literature that is offered by the company. As soon as you can after the fair, create a list of contacts and a plan for follow up, whether it means thank you notes or follow up letters and resumes. Follow up will be critical to your success so bring along a notebook or portfolio that makes it easy for you to gather business cards and literature as well take quick notes.

A job fair is a great one stop opportunity to network with a wide range of employers. To be successful requires careful preparation on your part. Just showing up with resumes in hand will not guarantee success. By planning your day, preparing your tools, and putting your best foot forward the day of the job fair, you can turn a job fair into a real opportunity to find the job you want.

View the Presentation on making the most of a Job Fair.